Jackson could put handicappers in a tight spot

ROGER Smith, the National Horseracing Authority’s Senior Handicapper, has admitted that the handicappers will face an “awkward” task if Jackson ends up being the highest net merit rated horse at the time of the publishing of the weights for the Vodacom Durban July on June 12.

Smith said that the weighting of the race would be quite straight forward if one of the two current highest net merit rated horses, Pierre Jourdan or Tales Of Bravery, stand their ground.

As it stands Pierre Jourdan 114merit rating makes him the highest net merit rated horse in the race.

Jackson is merit rated 116, which due to the three-year-old weight for age deficit of 2kg gives him a net merit rating of 112.

Pierre Jourdan will therefore carry 60kg and due to the July condition that three-year-old males can carry a maximum weight of 57kg, Jackson will then carry 57kg and be 2kg better off with the rest of the field than he would be in a handicap.

However, if both Pierre Jourdan and Tales Of Bravery are scratched for some reason Jackson will be the highest net merit rated horse and this could leave the conditions open to interpretation.

The handicappers could weight the field as they would normally do in a handicap and then apply the conditions.

In that case the weights would be applied, Jackson would then go down to 57kg and then the topweight would go up to 60kg, dragging the rest of the field with him.

In that scenario Jackson would carry 58kg compared to topweight Chesalon’s 60kg.

However, there is a possibility that they will give Jackson the 57kg limit and then apply the weights from there.

This would mean Jackson would carry 60kg and Chesalon 59kg.

However, it would also mean that there would only be a 5kg range in the weights from top to bottom.

The conditions state that the minimum for a male is 53kg and the minimum for a female 52kg, so when Jackson is raised from 57 to 60, the bottom weights would also have to go up 3kg leaving bottom weight on 55kg.

Smith also pointed out that another condition states that the handicapper does not necessarily have to regard the contestants merit ratings, meaning the handicappers can really do what they want with the weights as long as they stick to the other conditions.

He said, “It’s a substandard year, there are no Pocket Powers among the older horses and we don’t want to compromise any of the horses.”

However he concluded by saying that Pierre Jourdan would be the “crucial” horse in order to prevent an akward task for the handicapper.

Below are the 2012 Vodacom Durban July conditions:

VODACOM DURBAN JULY (Grade 1)

It is an express condition of this race that the Company reserves the right to exclude any horse, which, in its opinion, does not warrant inclusion in the race. In addition, the Company shall have the right to exclude any horse at Declaration Stage, and to decide on the final field for the race.

Weights shall be framed by the Handicapper in his sole discretion and without necessarily having regard for horses’ merit ratings, but subject to the following:

1. The weights to be carried shall not exceed 60kg and shall not be less than 52kg.

2. Minimum weight for 4-year-olds and older: Colts and Geldings 53kg Fillies and Mares 52kg Maximum weight for 4year and older at publication of weights: Colts and Geldings 60kg Fillies and Mares 59kg

3. Minimum weight for 3-year-olds: Colts and Geldings 53kg Fillies 52kg Maximum weight for 3-year-olds at publication of weights: Colts and Geldings 57kg Fillies and Mares 56kg

4. No penalties shall be incurred after the publication of weights.

5. Notwithstanding 2 and 3 above, the Handicapper will raise all weights proportionately to 60kg. should the top weight originally allotted be less than 60kg at final declaration.